Yan Qing offers advice to consolidate the foundation
Chapter quotation: We must be on guard against thieves. Knowing that a storm is coming, we should build walls and store food.
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After Wu Yong's departure, the Lu Mansion regained its former tranquility. But Yan Qing knew that beneath this calm, undercurrents would only intensify. Although Lu Junyi didn't fully believe Wu Yong's words, the seeds of doubt had already been planted in his heart. Furthermore, Yan Qing's revelation of the key to his situation had already sown a seed of doubt in his heart. Although this Hebei tyrant, who had always been smooth sailing, didn't show it on his face, he still felt a little uneasy.
Over the past few days, Lu Junyi's spear movements had become more impulsive during his training, no longer his usual calm. Yan Qing watched with a cold eye, knowing the time had come to further consolidate his "defense line." He couldn't just sit and wait for Liangshan to launch its next move; he had to make the Lu family itself invulnerable.
That evening, Lu Junyi was in his study, looking through the account books, a frown on his face. Yan Qing came in with a bowl of freshly stewed Tremella soup and gently placed it on the desk.
"Master, are you worried about the rumors going around these days?" Yan Qing asked softly, his tone showing just the right amount of concern.
Lu Junyi put down the account book, rubbed his brow, and sighed, "Not entirely. I just remember what Wu Yong said. Although it seems absurd, there does seem to be some unrest in Daming Prefecture lately." He was referring to the strange fortune teller Yan Qing had mentioned earlier, as well as the prying eyes he had vaguely sensed from outside the palace. Suspicion was building, and everything seemed suspicious.
Yan Qing followed suit, saying, "Master, be wise. As the saying goes, one should not intend to harm others, but one must always be on guard against them. Wu Yong's whereabouts are elusive, and his intentions are unclear. If he truly is a charlatan, it's fine if he can just swindle money out of us; but if he has other motives..." He paused, observing Lu Junyi's expression, and continued, "Our Lu Mansion is a prominent place, attracting attention. It's inevitable that we will be targeted by scoundrels. In Xiaoyi's opinion, we need to make some preparations to be on the safe side."
Lu Junyi looked at him: "Oh? What do you think, Xiaoyi?" He knew very well that his servant was not only a martial arts expert, but also had a sharp mind and could often see things that others could not.
Yan Qing had already prepared a plan and said calmly, "Xiao Yi thinks we should start from three aspects."
"First, we must strengthen the foundation. Although there are many guards in the mansion, they are bound to slack off after a long period of time without external enemies. Please ask the master to order that patrols in the mansion be strengthened from now on, especially at night. We need to increase the number of shifts and conduct cross-patrols to leave no blind spots. Reliable personnel must be deployed to key locations such as the warehouse, stables, and the backyard. In addition, the servants in the mansion should also be secretly checked to prevent spies planted by outsiders." He recalled the betrayal of Li Gu and the Jia family in his previous life. Although there was no sign of this yet, it would not hurt to warn them in advance and strengthen control.
Lu Junyi nodded slightly. What Yan Qing said was exactly the precautions that a wealthy family should take. However, his family had been at peace for so long that they had indeed been somewhat negligent. "Okay. I'll leave this matter to you and Li Gu to supervise."
Yan Qing's heart moved, but Li Gu... did not show any expression on his face, and replied, "Yes." Then he proposed the second point, "Second, clear the source. The owner owns many farms and shops, and the people who come and go are complicated. Xiao Yi suggests that we conduct an inventory of the accounts and staff in various places in the near future. First, to plug the loopholes, and second, to see if there are any suspicious people taking the opportunity to spy. Especially... business and personal dealings in the direction of Shandong, we need to pay special attention." He once again subtly directed Lu Junyi's attention to the direction of Liangshanpo.
Lu Junyi's eyes narrowed: "You are suspicious..."
"Xiao Yi dare not make any rash judgments." Yan Qing lowered his head. "But Wu Yong mentioned a thousand miles to the southeast, which happens to be the territory of Shandong. It's always a good idea to take more precautions."
Lu Junyi pondered for a moment and nodded slowly: "That makes sense. I will give the order for the investigation."
"Third, show off your prestige." Yan Qing raised his head, his eyes bright. "Master is one of the three best in Hebei, and his reputation is known far and wide. But if reputation isn't displayed for a long time, it's easy for people to forget about it, or even look down on it. Xiaoyi thinks that Master should be more out in the open these days, perhaps going to the army to spar with old friends, or hosting a banquet at home to entertain the city's heroes and government officials. Firstly, it can help him relax and relieve boredom, and secondly, it can let the outside world know that the Lu Mansion has a strong foundation and that Master is still powerful. He is not someone who can be manipulated easily. Seeing Master's growing prestige, the scoundrels will become wary, and perhaps some of their inappropriate thoughts will be dispelled."
This was a tactic to win over the hearts and minds of the people. Lu Junyi was a man who loved fame, and this move suited him perfectly. Furthermore, his frequent interactions with government officials and the military invisibly enhanced Lu Junyi's status and security, making Liangshan more cautious if they attempted to move against him.
After listening to this, Lu Junyi clapped his hands and laughed: "Excellent! What a great Xiao Yi! You've thought it through, and every point makes sense! Strengthening the foundation, clearing the source, and enhancing prestige, with these three strategies, my Lu Mansion will be an iron wall. Who dares to touch the tiger's whiskers?" The depression of many days seemed to be swept away. He looked at Yan Qing with a look full of admiration and trust, "Just as you said, we will start immediately!"
"Xiao Yi, obey your command." Yan Qing bowed and accepted the order, a smile on his face. He knew that this was not a permanent solution, but it would at least greatly increase the difficulty of Liangshan's subsequent operations, buying him more time to respond.
In the following days, the Lu Mansion changed its slightly dull atmosphere of the past, becoming relaxed on the outside but tight on the inside and running efficiently.
Yan Qing personally adjusted the patrol routes and schedules for the guards. While seemingly random, these arrangements effectively prioritized key locations prone to infiltration. While seemingly collaborating with Li Gu and assigning tasks to investigate servants, he cleverly assigned individuals he considered suspicious based on his memory or observation to less central areas under Li Gu's responsibility. This achieved his investigation objectives while avoiding premature alerting the enemy. He knew that Li Gu might not yet harbor any rebellious intentions, but he would never give him another chance to collude with the Jia family.
Meanwhile, Lu Junyi also adopted Yan Qing's suggestion to "show off his prowess." He first went to the military training grounds of Daming Prefecture, where he sparred with several of his fellow officers. His elusive movements with a single club drew cheers from the entire crowd, and his reputation as the "Jade Unicorn" resounded throughout the barracks. He then hosted a grand banquet at his mansion, inviting city celebrities, officials, and military commanders. He engaged in a lively conversation, lavishly spending money, and a display of extravagance.
The Lu Mansion was bustling with traffic and guests. Everyone felt that Mr. Lu seemed to be more active recently and his reputation was even greater than before.
Naturally, these movements did not escape the notice of Wu Yong, who had been secretly paying attention to the developments in the Lu Mansion.
At this moment, in a guest room of a humble inn in the south of the city, Wu Yong paced back and forth with a frown on his face. Liu Tang, the red-haired ghost who had come with him, squatted on a stool, his face full of impatience.
"Military Advisor, why is Lu Junyi so difficult to deal with? Didn't your rhetoric almost work last time? It's all because of that talkative pretty boy next to him!" Liu Tang said in a muffled voice.
Wu Yong paused and shook his head, his usual composure gone. "It's not that Yan Qing is too talkative, but we underestimated him. I originally thought he was just a clever servant, but now it seems he's incredibly thoughtful and resourceful. Lu Junyi's recent series of actions—strengthening security, investigating assets, and connecting with the powerful—are all perfectly timed. I wouldn't believe someone with great guidance behind the scenes."
He walked to the window, gazing at the tall gatehouse of the Lu Mansion in the distance, and continued, "The Lu Mansion is heavily guarded right now, and Lu Junyi himself frequently interacts with officials. If we resort to force, the risks will be enormous. We originally wanted to exploit internal unrest within the mansion (he'd vaguely heard something about Lu Junyi's wife and the housekeeper, Li Gu, and wanted to capitalize on it), but now his 'investigation' has made it difficult to proceed."
Liu Tang scratched his red hair in frustration. "What should I do? Brother Song Jiang and Brother Chao Gai are still waiting for good news on the mountain! I can't go back empty-handed, can I?"
Wu Yong gently waved his feather fan, a cold glint in his eyes. "If force fails, we can only use tactics to lure him in. Lu Junyi loves fame and is proud of his martial arts. Since he's so active, we should cater to his interests. Isn't he hosting a banquet at his mansion? Then we can give him a 'big gift'!"
"A big gift?" Liu Tang was puzzled.
"I heard there's been a ferocious banditry in Hebei lately, looting several farms," Wu Yong said slowly. "If they happen to wander near Daming Prefecture and attempt to harm Mr. Lu... and if Mr. Lu can personally capture and kill the bandit leader, wouldn't his reputation for protecting the region and its people and his extraordinary bravery be further enhanced?"
Liu Tang's eyes lit up. "Military Advisor, what do you mean... to have our people pretend to be bandits?"
Wu Yong smiled faintly, confident in his plan: "Exactly. We need to find a few unfamiliar leaders, some capable men, and stage a good show. Lure Lu Junyi out of the city, and in a remote place, we will capture him. By then, he will be alone outside, so what use will all the arrangements in the mansion be?"
"This is a great plan!" Liu Tang slapped his thigh excitedly.
Wu Yong, however, did not forget to remind him, "Remember, be extremely careful, especially avoid Yan Qing. If we don't get rid of him, he'll be a real threat to Liangshan." He had already considered Yan Qing's danger level as high as possible. This plan was not only to capture Lu Junyi, but if the opportunity arose, he would also eliminate the troublesome Yan Qing.
Yan Qing naturally had no way of knowing the conspiracy within the inn. But he knew Wu Yong would not give up, and his next tactics would only become more ruthless and ruthless. He took advantage of Lu Junyi's "prominence" and, through opportunities like entertaining guests and purchasing supplies, extended his reach beyond the palace. He paid handsomely to befriend all manner of people, especially the soldiers at the city gates, beggars on the streets, and messengers, gathering information from them about unfamiliar faces and unusual movements.
One day, a farmhand who had been managing the tea garden for the Lu family in Shilipu outside the city all year round came into the city to deliver new tea. He also brought a message to Yan Qing, saying that a few days ago, several burly men with Shandong accents were asking about the way to Liangshan Lake near the tea garden, and their behavior was suspicious.
Yan Qing's heart was filled with alarm.
Shandong accent, asking about Liangshan... Wu Yong's next move is here!
He immediately realized that the enemy was likely trying to take advantage of Lu Junyi's competitive nature and lure him out of the city. Outside the city, the sky was high and the land was vast, making the various arrangements of the Lu Mansion difficult to implement. It was a perfect place to strike.
"Trying to lure the tiger away from the mountain?" Yan Qing stood on the high wall of the Lu Mansion, gazing towards the outside of the city with a hawk-like gaze. "Then let's see if you, the one trying to lure the tiger away, have the ability to withstand Fu Hu's powerful bow and crossbow!"
He turned around and walked quickly towards Lu Junyi's study. He needed to add an insurance policy to Lu Junyi's "competitive spirit".
The storm is about to come, and he must ensure that after this storm, the Lu Mansion will still remain unshakable.
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End of Chapter 3
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